Mariupol theatre airstrike

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Mariupol theatre airstrike
Part of the siege of Mariupol during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Mariupol Drama Theatre Destroyed 2.jpg
Damage to the theatre after the airstrike
LocationDonetsk Regional Drama Theatre
Mariupol, Ukraine
Date16 March 2022 (UTC+3)
TargetCivilians using the theatre as an air raid shelter
Attack type
Airstrike
Deaths0[1]
Injured1[1]
Perpetrators Russia

On 16 March 2022, the Donetsk Regional Drama Theatre in Mariupol, Ukraine, was bombed. It was reportedly used as an air raid shelter during the siege of Mariupol, allegedly holding 1300 civilians in the days before 16 March.[2] Ukraine accused the Russian Armed Forces of deliberately bombing the theatre sheltering civilians.[3] Whereas Russian authorities denied responsibility, and accused the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion of having planned and carried out the false flag theatre bombing.[4]

Background[edit]

The theatre in 2021

On 24 February, the Russian Armed Forces, working together with pro-Russian rebels, besieged the port city of Mariupol, leading to heavy casualties as supplies such as food, gas, and electricity were cut off from the locals.[5] The mayor of Mariupol; Sergiy Orlov has estimated that 80 to 90% of the city had been destroyed due to shelling.[6]

The theatre is one of a number of Ukrainian heritage and cultural sites that have been destroyed during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[7] Satellite images of the theatre taken on 14 March 2022 show the word "дети" (Russian for "children") spelled out in two locations outside the theatre in an attempt to identify it to invading forces as a civilian air raid shelter containing children and not a military target.[8] Mariupol city council officials stated that the theatre was the largest single air raid shelter in the city, and at the time of the attack it contained only women and children.[7] Human Rights Watch interviewed refugees from Mariupol who stated that in the days preceding 16 March, there had been around 500 to 800 people sheltering in the theatre.[9] On 10 March, Ukrainian actor Damir Suhov made an emotional plea to the Russian forces to break the siege and allow women, children and the wounded to be evacuated.[citation needed]

Attack[edit]

On 16 March, Ukraine accused Russian forces of shelling civilian areas in Mariupol. Artillery hit numerous locations, including a swimming pool building and a vehicle convoy. Shelling then struck the theatre, reducing the building to rubble.[10] It was described by Ukrainian authorities as a war crime.[8]

While the theatre was estimated to have held 500[9] to 1,200 civilians in the days before 16 March,[3] casualty figures were not known as of 16 March 2022. The bomb shelter in the basement of the theatre survived the bombing. Many people were trapped under the burning rubble of the collapsed theatre following the attack, and ongoing shelling in the area complicated recovery efforts.[8][7]

A member of the Ukrainian parliament from Mariupol, Dmytro Gurin, said that the rescue efforts were hampered due to continued attacks on the area by Russian forces.[11]

Victims[edit]

As of 17 March 2022, the number of casualties was unclear. Some people emerged alive on 17 March.[12] By 18 March, around 130 survivors had been rescued.[13] The Mariupol City Council stated that according to initial information no one had been killed, although one person was gravely wounded.

By 22 March there was no independent confirmation of the claims by President Zelensky that 130 people were rescued and hundreds possibly trapped under the rubble[14].

Reactions[edit]

RIA Novosti reported that Russian authorities had denied their responsibility, instead accusing the Azov Battalion of having planned and carried out the theatre bombing.[2][8]

Culture Minister of Italy Dario Franceschini offered to the Ukrainian government to rebuild the theatre as soon as possible.[15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "130 Rescued in Ukrainian Theater Bombing, Search for Missing Continues". Voice of America. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Up to 1,200 people may have been inside the theater, the city's deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov said". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  3. ^ a b Bachega, Hugo (16 March 2022). "Ukraine war: Russia attacks theatre sheltering civilians, Mariupol says". BBC News. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. ^ Blumenthal·, Max (2022-03-18). "Was bombing of Mariupol theater staged by Ukrainian Azov extremists to trigger NATO intervention?". The Grayzone. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  5. ^ "Up to 1,200 people may have been inside the theater, the city's deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov said". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  6. ^ Tondo, Lorenzo (2022-03-17). "Survivors leaving basement of Mariupol theatre after airstrike, say officials". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  7. ^ a b c Lister, Tim (16 March 2022). "Russia bombs theater where hundreds sought shelter and 'children' was written on grounds". CNN. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d Hayes, Andy (16 March 2022). "Ukraine war: People buried under rubble after Mariupol theatre sheltering hundreds is hit by Russian bomb, officials say". Sky News. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Ukraine: Mariupol Theater Hit by Russian Attack Sheltered Hundreds". Human Rights Watch. 2022-03-16. Archived from the original on 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  10. ^ "Mariupol: Russia accused of bombing theatre and swimming pool sheltering civilians". the Guardian. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  11. ^ "Mariupol theatre: 'We knew something terrible would happen'". BBC News. 2022-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  12. ^ CNN, By Helen Regan, Travis Caldwell, Seán Federico-O'Murchú, George Ramsay, Sara Spary and Ed Upright (2022-03-17). "People are emerging from the bombed Mariupol theater building, Ukrainian official says". CNN. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  13. ^ Sabin, Lamiat (2022-03-18). "Ukraine says 130 people rescued so far from bombed Mariupol theatre". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  14. ^ "Zelenskyy: 130 rescued, 'hundreds' under Mariupol theatre rubble". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  15. ^ "Ukraine: Italy ready to rebuild Mariupol theatre says min". ANSA. 2022-03-17.
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